Iraqi Christians holding candles at an open-air mass to mark the beginning of the Easter weekend in the largely Christian town of Ainkawa on the outskirts of Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraq's Christian community is made up of numerous churches, including the Assyrian Church of the East, the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Syrian Catholic Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, however the majority of Iraq's Christians belong to the Chaldean Catholic church. Iraq's Christian community is considered one of the longest continues Christian communities in the world. Violence, persecution and sectarian strife have forced more than two thirds of the Christian population to flee the country. The remaining Christians are struggling to maintain their traditions, culture and religious heritage. Ainkawa, Iraq. 17/04/2014.